Destitute
by Hearshot Kid
Summary: "Tony Stark was a risk-taker– Bruce knew that all too well. But he needed to get it through Tony's head that this one wasn't a risk worth taking." Full summary inside. The final chapter is up! (Rating changed to M for language.)
1. Discoveries

**Destitute, an Avengers fanfiction.**

**Summary: AU. Bruce and Tony are college-aged, dirt poor scientific prodigies. They have been given lab space and supplies to attempt to make a living, courtesy of Natalie Rushman, a representative of a charity intended to help penniless geniuses like Bruce and Tony make a name for themselves. One day, they realize that Natalie Rushman isn't who she seems, and Tony and Bruce's friendship is tested as their lives take a turn for the worse.**

**Bruce/Tony friendship, eventual one-sided Bruce/Natasha if you squint. Not a songfic but chapter names/general ideas of the plot inspired by the video for Key Entity Extraction I: Domino the Destitute. First Avengers/multi-chapter fic (I will be updating approx. once a week). Nothing is mine. Please enjoy. :)**

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CHAPTER ONE: Discoveries

"Bruce, get your ass over here right now!" Tony waved his hand urgently, motioning for his best friend to come to him. Something huge was happening.

"Does it work?" Bruce asked, removing his glasses and rushing to Tony's side to take a closer look at his project.

"See for yourself," Tony, a smug look on his face, pointed towards a small docking station with a cheap mp3 player attached to it. It was not plugged into the wall, but was connected to a tiny cylinder that glowed a light blue, that powered the speakers. Bruce stared in awe at the cylinder, the soft light accentuating his widened eyes. He couldn't believe Tony had figured out how to contain an arc reactor's energy into such a small space.

"Does it power much more than that?"

"I told you, Bruce, this can power just as much as Stark Industries's big ol' arc reactor can, if you really want it to. I just used this mp3 player so nobody would lose limbs if I made a lethal enough mistake."

"That's amazing, Tony. I..." Bruce had to stop to wipe a tear, "I can't believe you were actually able to do this before you... you know..."

Tony nodded slowly, a smile still apparent on his face. He had just received news of a severe case of thyroid cancer. Strangely, it remained contained in the thyroid, but the future looked grim. This was going to be his last project- they couldn't afford to save him., He couldn't help but smile at the fact that he'd lived to see it completed. "You know, we gotta thank Rushman for this. She gave us the chance to make something great of ourselves, and... well, looks like I did that."

Bruce placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, prompting him to ask, "And how about you? What kind of progress are you making?"

Bruce was surprised at how quick Tony was to turn the attention to him. He turned towards his side of the lab as he spoke, "Slow but definitive progress. The super-soldier serum is hard to duplicate. I wasn't expecting to have it overnight."

"I still don't get why you don't just ask Steve about it."

"He had the serum put in him, he didn't make it."

"Whatever, dude!" Tony feigned anger as he returned to his "mini arc reactor," as he called it.

He was proud of the little thing. His father was around when he'd created the initial one, but abandoned him when his mother died. He started the project with Bruce primarily to spite his father, but then he remembered how many people his father had helped with his massive project. When he realized the opportunity he was given, he was more than eager to give back.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of high-heeled shoes clicking in the corridor that led to their lab. Tony and Bruce knew exactly who it was- Natalie Rushman, the woman who graciously lent them the space and materials they needed to work. She often checked on their progress and was a second opinion when Tony and Bruce disagreed on something. The boys shot puzzled glances at each other, unsure of why Ms. Rushman would show up without a call from either of them to initiate it.

"So, it seems you've perfected your arc reactor, Stark," Rushman spoke suddenly, with an edge to her voice that neither Bruce nor Tony had ever heard before.

"Um, yeah... how did you know that, exactly?"

Rushman opened the blazer she was wearing to reveal a badge, "My name is Natasha Romanov, and I am an agent of SHIELD."

Bruce once again turned to Tony, a panicked expression on his face. He continued speaking, as if unaffected,

"So what, were you spying on us or something?"

"If that's what you'd like to call it. Come here, I need to have a word with you."

Tony complied and headed into the corridor with Natasha, leaving Bruce to deal with his thoughts on the matter alone.

He knew an awful lot about SHIELD. Steve Rogers, a close friend of his, was tricked into being a test subject for a super-soldier serum in order to become an indestructible SHIELD agent. He worked as an assassin for two years until he finally quit and decided to use his power to defend something much less malicious. He lost much of his riches, but claims to be content with heading into the military.

Bruce exhaled in frustration. He didn't want Tony to become a puppet for SHIELD to play with whenever they pleased. That had to be what they were talking about, there was no other possibility. Tony Stark was a risk-taker– Bruce knew that all too well. But he needed to get it through Tony's head that this one wasn't a risk worth taking.

He watched the wooden door separating the lab and the corridor, wondering what kind of tactics Romanov was using to convince SHIELD's latest target.

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**The chapters will be longer as the story progresses, sorry about the shortness of this one. Please R&R and follow, I'd appreciate it, and things are really ginna get interesting. :)**


	2. Good, Bad, Ugly, or Otherwise

**CHAPTER TWO: Good, Bad, Ugly, or Otherwise**

* * *

"So, uh, why am I here?" Tony looked around the corridor as if he'd never been there before. He felt awkward trying to meet Natasha's gaze knowing that she was a completely different person than who he'd thought. She touched his shoulder in an attempt to direct all of his attention to her.

"Tony, please," she didn't move her hand until he met her gaze. Her expression was noticeably somber, and Tony was sick with the thought of what kind of bad news she might be harboring. She spoke before she lost his focus, "Your father has just passed."

"Oh, uh..." Tony was unsure of whether she expected him to be disappointed, but he wasn't. If anything, he was extremely confused. "Why did you tell me that, exactly? It's not like we talk, I mean... I don't get how this is supposed to affect me."

Natasha sighed, "If you give me a chance, I'll tell you. See, we've been prospecting worthy intellects to fill his shoes. My program to help you two was an act in order to see what you were capable of. Your arc reactor... you did something not even your father was capable of. You vastly improved upon the unbeatable Stark Industries's most recognizable innovation. Not to mention keeping the company in the family. You're the obvious choice."

Tony looked down at his feet, "I'm not sure. Look what it did to my dad, and... what about Bruce? I can't just leave Bruce like that."

"I thought you might be reluctant. But I have something that might convince you otherwise."

At this, Tony's curiosity began to peak, "What's that?"

"Your arc reactor. Is it exactly like Stark's?"

"It should be, yeah. Well, except it's smaller."

Natasha smirked, "Then it should release some type of electromagnetic energy. I've been running some tests with Director Fury using your first prototype, the one that I'd taken with me two months ago, and we've figured out that this foreign type of electromagnetism has some benefits that might interest you."

"Like?"

"Containing tumors, and stunting the growth of cancer cells."

Tony was silent. He'd never even considered that aspect of his reactor, and that was one that could potentially save his life. But he could only get his hands on that research if he took over that company... and maybe that was the best thing for him. With the money he could get saving all those lives, it would make a better life for him, and for Bruce, too. Now it seemed like the obvious choice. He had to take over that company, and nothing was standing in his way.

"Alright, I'll take it."

Natasha looked to the door that led to the lab, "Then you should probably go tell your friend. I'll be waiting out here, and we'll go as soon as you're done. We're gonna need you as soon as possible if we wanna kick start this project."

"Alright, thanks," Tony nodded as he turned to the door. He knew Bruce would probably be hesitant, but there was no way he was letting this opportunity slip through his fingers. Tony was going to take over that company, and Bruce would just have to get used to that.

"Yo, Banner!"

Bruce looked up from his project, immediately abandoning it for the time being in order to get information from Tony, "How'd it go? What did she say to you?"

Tony could tell Bruce was concerned about him. It made him uncomfortable, almost, but he had to shake it off– nothing was standing in his way, "This doesn't have as much to to with SHIELD as we thought. They were looking for someone to take over Stark Industries, 'cause my dad died. So they chose me."

Bruce wanted to be happy, but he couldn't. He knew they were using him, and his father's company, for their own personal gain. He couldn't let Tony be oblivious to that. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "You know they're looking for the best person for SHIELD, not for Stark Industries."

"Are you not proud of me?"

Bruce sighed in frustration. Tony could be so difficult sometimes, "I am, Tony. I swear, I'm proud of you. You don't even know how much this says about your intelligence, but... you've seen what SHIELD can do, what they're willing to do, I mean... look at Steve-"

"I know what happened to Steve. I'm smarter than him. And they have research that can save my life. Bruce, you know what my arc reactor can do? It can stunt the growth of tumors. You know how many lives I can save? Including mine."

Bruce stopped when he heard that. SHIELD lied about a lot of things, but he somehow felt that this was the truth. He knew that if he were in Tony's shoes, he'd choose SHIELD over death, any day. He pulled Tony into a hug, "That's amazing Tony. I... I guess I can't stop you if it means saving your life."

Tony broke free, his eyes wide with excitement, "And it's not just about me, either. I'm gonna be making a lot of money, Bruce. We can finally get you off the street. You can get the life you always wanted. I can totally help you with that."

Bruce tried not to smile. He couldn't shake the fact that he knew what SHIELD was doing, but he could tell this meant so much to his best friend. If he took away this, he took away a hope for the future that he hadn't seen in Tony for a while. Or worse, it could take away his life. As much as he knew it was right to stop him, he couldn't bear to do that.

"Just... be careful, okay?" Bruce warned Tony.

Tony slapped both his hands on Bruce's shoulders, "Definitely. I promise, Bruce, I'm not gonna let you down," he then proceeded to push Bruce away and bolt out the door.

And that was the last time Bruce Banner saw Tony Stark before everything changed.

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**Early update. I was feeling inspired. :) I would appreciate R&R and follows. Don't expect a quicker update next week, but expect a long one and an important new character. :) I sincerely hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it, thank you.**


	3. Ever-Failing One Man Show

**CHAPTER THREE: Ever-Failing One Man Show**

**This is a much longer chapter than the previous two. Please R&R and follow, I appreciate it. Enjoy. :)**

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_NEW LEADERSHIP BRINGS NEW ERA OF INNOVATION IN STARK INDUSTRIES_

_When Tony Stark, 21-year-old son of the late Howard Stark, eagerly took the reigns as the new CEO of Stark Industries, nobody would have guessed that he would find success so quickly. In just two months, Stark has miniaturized the arc reactor and spearheaded a research program that intends to seek out uses for the reactor that will benefit not only Stark Industries, but the public as well. Thus far, a foreign type of electromagnetism emitted by the reactor has not only been proven to contain tumors, but other lethal obstructions as well. Mass production of the reactor is intended to begin in one month._

Bruce slammed down the newspaper and continued to slave away in the lab. Two months had passed. Tony had not once spoken to Bruce since he left, and as a result Bruce had no idea how to contact him. The remnants of "Rushman's" funding were running low, and he still hadn't perfected the serum yet. To say nothing was going right for Bruce was an understatement.

"That 'better life' Tony promised me sounds great right now," he said under his breath as he arrived at his final product. This would be his sixth attempt at creating a "final product," and he hoped it would live up to the label.

Bruce carefully filled a syringe with the liquid, one that looked as close in color and consistency to the original as he'd gotten thus far. That was a good sign. He started to let himself believe that this might be the one. The mere thought caused his hand to shake as he broke through his skin with the syringe.

He felt the liquid running through his veins like ice, a sensation that was not present with his last five attempts. In five minutes, it overcame his entire body. It lasted for two more, and he felt like an entirely new, rejuvenated human being. It was a rush he prayed would last forever.

But it didn't. Ten minutes after it wore off, he noted no physical changes in himself. Frustrated, he dug through the research he compiled on the serum, searching frantically for some tidbit of information that would renew his hope in his creation. Nothing. He knew he was fooling himself. He knew the changes were immediate in Steve. He asked.

Once again, Bruce Banner was a complete and utter failure.

Overwhelmed with anger and frustration, he threw the syringe at the wall, shattering it and releasing its contents. Why couldn't he get it right? He was on the verge of tears until a spark lit up in his mind.

Maybe he should just take Tony's advice and talk to Steve about it.

* * *

"Hey, nice to see you," Steve gave Bruce a firm handshake and a smile that was undeniably infectious.

"You, too," Bruce took his place at the table, taking in his surroundings– he hadn't been to this bar in a while.

Although Steve wasn't a big drinker by any means, he frequented a bar called O'Brien's. His good friend, Bucky Barnes, had brought Steve there for the first time, and they both were recruited by SHIELD. Unfortunately, Barnes was killed on the job, so Steve found solace in Bucky's old friends at the bar. Bruce always respected Steve, and chose for them to meet there whenever they needed to catch up as a sign of that respect.

"So, how've you been since the whole Rushman thing?" Steve interrupted Bruce's thoughts. At the sound of his question, Bruce realized it'd been a whole year since he'd last seen Steve.

"Pretty good, I guess," Bruce replied. "I just, uh..." Bruce pondered the wording of his next question, hoping the serum wasn't too sensitive a subject for him, "I have a couple questions for you regarding the serum they injected into you."

Steve smiled at Bruce's hesitance, "Well, I'm not much of a scientist, but I can give it a shot." Then, his face changed, as if a realization struck, "Why don't you just ask Tony? He seems to be doing well for himself."

Bruce shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Tony was the last person he wanted to talk about that night. But he didn't want to avoid the question– he had a sort of odd respect for Steve, and felt like his question deserved a reply, "Well, uh... I haven't been in contact with Tony for a while."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"I wish I could tell you."

The discomfort spread to Steve, "Oh... I'm sorry I brought it up."

Bruce nodded in reply, a thought beginning to sprout in his mind. Perhaps Steve, as a victim of SHIELD himself, could give him some insight into Tony's situation. It would settle some of his doubts concerning he and Tony's relationship, as well as SHIELD's motives for recruiting Tony in the first place.

"It's fine... actually, I need your advice on something to do with that."

Steve shot him a puzzled look, "Really? What do you mean?"

"I mean that Tony was asked by SHIELD to take over that company, and I'm afraid they're going to manipulate him. I'm afraid they're some of the reason Tony hasn't gotten back to me and that he's going to get hurt as a result of this whole thing."

Steve's face fell into an expression resembling some obscure combination of shock and confusion. He was expecting that they'd gotten into some sort of falling out, or that Bruce was just being paranoid. SHIELD... that name came completely out of left field.

"Sorry... I guess I came off too strong," Bruce looked down at his hands, which were clasped together on the table. Steve quickly remedied the misunderstanding,

"No, no, I'm not angry. I'm just confused... why would you think SHIELD had anything to do with this?"

"Because a SHIELD agent showed up to the lab and personally asked Tony to take over the company. Seems like a fair assumption to me."

Steve placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder, "You don't need to worry about Tony. I've read every article they've published about him. Not once was SHIELD mentioned. If they were really up to something, they'd make themselves look good in the presses. That's what they did with me, and with Bucky soon after."

Bruce looked up at Steve, but remained unconvinced. He had a sinking feeling that SHIELD was up to something. It would help if Steve at least entertained the idea. "I just don't get why a SHIELD agent would personally seek him out if they didn't have an ulterior motive."

"Because his father worked closely with them. They know him better than anyone, so of course they're well-suited to find a new owner. You're overreacting, Bruce."

Bruce didn't like the way Steve had said that. It was condescending, almost mocking him for being concerned for his best friend. That was the last thing he needed to hear after the two months of hell he'd endured. He was full to bursting, and Steve was gonna be the poor victim.

"I'm over reacting? Me? Maybe you're under-reacting! Maybe you just don't wanna accept that you're losing another one of your friends to SHIELD!"

He might as well have hit Steve with a bullet. He almost wanted to take back what he said if it meant being able to unsee the tears that were barely being held back in the soldier's eyes, the way his face went pale at the sound of his accusation... but it was the truth.

That was why he didn't expect Steve to fire back,

"Maybe you just don't want to accept that you're jealous of his success because you haven't had any yet."

He said it through tears. It was soft, softer than a whisper. But it was the worst thing anyone had ever said to him, and the timing couldn't have been more awful. He couldn't even stand to be in Steve's presence anymore. He had to go.

"I think we're done here, Mr. Rogers," Bruce forced a cracked whisper, lifted himself from his seat, and walked out.

Steve left for the military the very next day. He and Bruce never settled that argument.

* * *

Bruce entered the lab. He supposed he could call it his home– it wasn't so welcoming, but it was the only roof he could get over his head for the time being. It wouldn't matter much soon.

He walked right past his work station, ignoring the shattered syringe and the liquid dripping off the wall. His eyes were set on a padlocked cabinet underneath an empty work station.

He took out its contents and placed them on the table. He kept it a secret from Tony; it was something he did special for Steve.

Steve had once told Bruce that as much as he wanted to be a part of the military, he was scared to be involved in causing unnecessary casualties, especially if he were ever involved in a bombing. For months, maybe even close to a year, he worked privately on a tiny bomb designed to minimize casualties. He used his knowledge in gamma radiation to ensure it was perfect. He knew Steve would love it.

But he'd never know for sure.

He placed the bomb gently on the table next to him. He set it to detonate in ten seconds.

_Nine... eight..._

He cursed SHIELD. He cursed them for taking his friend from him. He cursed them for ruining Steve's life. He cursed them for ruining his life. He cursed them for giving him false hope, loneliness, and a new reason to hate the life he's living.

_Seven... six..._

He cursed Tony. Tony never understood how much of a threat SHIELD was. He wasn't completely receptive to Bruce's concern. He was set in his ways. It was his biggest flaw. And it was their downfall.

_Five... four..._

Despite the anger he felt, the words that were said, he could not bring himself to curse Steve. He still couldn't put into words the respect he had for him. Was it because he was a soldier? Was it his courage, to stand up for what he believed in? Maybe it was both. Maybe it was more. And there was an aching feeling inside him, something that told him Steve might've been right about what he said.

But he would never know for sure.

_Three... two... o-_


	4. In This Corner

"For the love of God, learn to take some orders. I said I wanted mass production to begin within the month. Is that date within the month? Didn't think so. I don't care what you have to do, just ramp up the preliminary shit and get production started already. Bye." Tony Stark slammed the phone into the receiver. Two months into his new job as CEO of Stark Tower, and he's already dealt with countless idiots. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he met smarter people when he was practically living on the street. He spun in his chair as he let his mind drift to the likes of Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes...

Bruce Banner.

God, he'd forgotten all about that guy. And it amazed him that just as quickly as he'd forgotten, Tony remembered every single promise he'd made to Bruce as soon as the name entered his mind. He remembered everything about SHIELD, about their motives, about the money... it was too bad he'd barely made any yet. All he got so far was the building and the power to boss people around. He wouldn't come into real money until units were actually being sold; that's why he'd been forcing those idiots at the plant to ramp up production on those reactors. He just wished he were more able to tell Bruce that.

The sound of squeaking hinges and clanging steel snapped Tony from his muse. His eyes shot across the spacious office of glass and chrome to find a man dressed in black standing in the frame of the door. "Stark, a word," he spoke bluntly.

Tony adjusted his chair so that it faced the man. "Director Fury, what brings you here?" he asked as he placed his elbows on his desk.

"This is a crisis, Stark. We've just received word of a potential superpowered threat to our city. Not even our most lethal forces could suppress it."

"So what am I supposed to do about it?"

Fury let out a sigh before elaborating, "My associates seem to think that your prowess in engineering would enable you to build a weapon powerful enough to render it either unconscious or unmoving, at the very least. If this goes through, and you do manage to suppress the thing enough for us to capture it, large rewards are in store for you."

Tony smirked. Rewards meant money. Tony knew he was gonna make it up to Bruce real soon- they'd be living large in no time. "So, what kinda superpower are we talking here?"

"He's a big ol' green monster, and something's pissed him off big time."

* * *

_"Explain... you managed... destroy... kill three civilians... why did you..."_

Bruce was drifting in and out of consciousness, seeing in blurs, hearing in echoes. He wasn't sure whether or not the voice he was hearing was coming from inside his head, so he hesitated to answer it. The last thing he wanted was for someone to witness him attempting to talk to himself.

"Answer me!" the woman's voice grew significantly louder, and startled Bruce closer to consciousness. It was then that he realized that this woman was real, standing before him in a somewhat distinguishable black-and-flesh-colored blur.

"I-I didn't hear you..." Bruce struggled to speak.

Natasha grinned, "Nice to see you're finally responsive. Just don't try running away, okay?" She signaled for Bruce to look down. Sure enough, he was tied to something. He looked around him and came to realize that he was outside, on a hill in the outskirts of the city, likely in some sort of park. He looked behind him._ "Yep, I'm tied to a tree,"_ he thought. _"Wait... why the heck am I tied to a tree? Why am I even still alive?"_

Natasha's voice cut in, "Now, humor me. Tell me how and why you managed to destroy a sizable part of the city."

Bruce did a double take. Was his own gamma bomb responsible for that damage? Was that a failure, too? "Wait... I destroyed half the city?"

"Don't play stupid. That gets you nowhere."

"No, I really have no idea what you're talking about. Just... could you tell me how that happened?"

Natasha could sniff out a liar from a thousand miles away, but she knew what she was hearing- there was undeniable truth in Bruce's voice. He wasn't yelling, he wasn't angry- hell, he wasn't even denying it. Bruce honestly didn't know what he did. And Natasha almost pitied him, because she wasn't sure what he was going to do when he found out.

"You don't remember..." she confirmed her muse aloud, and Bruce further validated it with a silent nod. With a deep breath, she began to explain, "You... you were a monster. A big, green monster. And you..." She couldn't bring herself to say it. She's seen a lot on her career, this was true. But never has she tracked down someone who had no idea what they were being tracked down for. And this was for something so terrible.

Yet, Bruce didn't seem to care. He waited for an answer patiently, staring at her with empty eyes. He made no attempt to escape, or to force her to speak. He just sat and waited and did absolutely nothing. It was almost eerie, what little concern he had. And so Natasha decided she had to throw her own concern away.

She pointed towards the city. From their view, there was a clear path torn straight through the city, towards the park. Buildings were demolished. Beams, poles, jagged chunks of glass and iron and concrete were thrown about, rising from the ground. Bruce stared in awe. All of the destruction and debris that was there before him, so clearly visible at even a bird's eye view... it was so uniform, so conformed, in one straight path leading to his very location.

"I... I didn't do all that... not by myself." Bruce refused to consider the opposite.

Natasha nodded, "You did. You grew to ten times your size. You were that... that monster."

Bruce stared at his feet. This really wasn't his week. Or his month. How the heck did he manage to become a monster all of a sudden? That was another bullet for the ever-growing list of horrible things that've happened to him these past two months. Just what he needed. He knew he was better off being killed by gamma exposure.

_Gamma exposure..._

"I-If I might," Bruce almost felt guilty for breaking the silence, "I'd like to ask you a question."

"Shoot."

"I don't know whether or not you were directly involved, but do you know anything about the super soldier serum SHIELD used on Steve Rogers?"

There was evident confusion spread across Natasha's face. Despite this, she went along with it, "Yeah, I know a little."

The gears in Bruce's head were turning, "Anything about gamma exposure under the influence of the serum?"

Natasha's widened in warning, "Oh, that's definitely off-limits. Especially in excessive quantities."

"That's it!" Bruce's excitement caught Romanov off guard. She shot him a look that encouraged him to elaborate. "I tried to duplicate that serum. I thought I failed again, but apparently I didn't. Because I exposed myself to gamma radiation soon after. And then this happened."

"Wait a minute," that confused expression appeared on Natasha's face once more. "I thought that laboratory didn't have access to substantial amounts of gamma radiation."

"It didn't, but I worked with what I had," Bruce elaborated. "I built a bomb, a small one. I was gonna put it to good use, but the connections I had... heh, they didn't break too nicely. So... the bomb was supposed to kill me. And that obviously didn't happen."

Natasha didn't respond, initially unable to take in what had just come to light. This monster, this thing that tore through the city and killed at least three people, was the result of a desperate man's suicide attempt? Here she was, believing this was the work of some sort of faction conspiring against SHIELD, or some lunatic with twisted personal motives. But no. This was an innocent man, who knew not the consequences of his actions. This man was a friend, an asset, an ally. And she wouldn't have known it had it it not been for Tony Stark.

_Wait..._

Tony Stark. He was under Director Fury's strict orders. And those orders were to prepare to kill this monst- no.

Those orders were to prepare to kill Bruce Banner.

"Is something wrong with my explanation, Natasha?"

Bruce's voice cut through her muse, and she realized that muse had slowly bled into her expression. Bruce could see her concern.

"No... I just need to make a call," She distanced herself from him as she frantically dialed for the Director.

"Fury? I need to have a word with you. It's an emergency."

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**So sorry for the ridiculous wait on that one. School started and that's just been a frenzy. I'll warn you now, don't expect as frequent updates as the earlier ones, okay? Sorry again. I'd appreciate reviews and follows. Thanks. :)**


	5. Another Cog in the Wheel

**Chapter 5: Another Cog in the Wheel**

**I'm so sorry for the delay. Between school, homecoming, and Hurricane Sandy prep, I've been swamped. Anyway, enough with the excuses. I want to acknowledge and thank everyone who reviewed this story after the last chapter. You all have no idea how much I appreciate it, seeing as this is one of the first times I've written anything like this! Don't hesitate to review if you enjoy this. :) Please enjoy the next chapter, hope it's worth the wait. :)**

* * *

"Remain calm, reinforcements are on their way," Fury said. This was the response that Natasha was used to hearing at the sound of the word 'emergency,' but this case was a unique one.

"No, I don't need is a different type of emergency."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"This monster isn't a monster at all."

Natasha could almost hear the Director rolling his eyes on the other end, "Agent Romanov, I've seen the thing with my own eyes. I'd like to think I know a monster when I see one."

"No, I mean... it's a man. He's a scientist. He tried to kill himself, and... something caused him to turn into that thing instead," All she wanted was for Bruce to die a man, if he had to, and not a monster. It frustrated her that Fury didn't want to understand that at first.

"Did you talk to this guy?"

"I did," she admitted proudly.

Fury's voice intensified on the other end, "Are you insane? You can't let him know we're after him!"

'Shit. Way to blow it this time, Natasha,' She cursed herself as she realized the hole she'd dug herself into. Whatever happened, she couldn't reveal Bruce's identity to Fury. She wouldn't let herself. But she was already in too deep. She felt her voice shaking as she said to the Director, "He already knows who I am."

"Then he's a threat. I've already put Stark in charge of trying to contain the beast, but... thanks to the intel you've provided, this might turn into something much uglier."

Stark? How could this get any worse? Natasha turned to Bruce, who still remained confined to the tree. He was completely oblivious to the fact that his best friend, who seemed to be so protective of and loved so much, was assigned to murder him. He didn't even know he was a monster until Natasha told him. And that hit her hard, harder than it should've. So she let herself speak without thinking, "No... S-Stark knows who he is, too."

"You've told me all I need to hear. Thank you, Agent Romanov," he almost seemed to mock her. It was as if he wanted her to feel shame in that she'd blown it and let the case get to her. Well, shame was the last thing she was going to give him. She was going to fight fire with fire.

She was going to save Bruce, and she knew just the man to help her.

"Wait," she managed to stop him just in time.

"Hm?"

"Send Agent Barton. The monster managed to escape, and I'm looking to... interrogate, some more."

"Excellent. Contact the agency if he continues to pose himself as a threat."

"Will do. Now, let me go," Natasha let a grin form on her face as she ended the call. Director Fury had no idea what he was in for.

* * *

"Wait, so I'm not here to stop the monster?" Barton asked, slightly disappointed. He hoped that if he wasn't going to get to kill a monster, then Natasha had something else up her sleeve.

"Nope," Natasha said as she placed a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "This is Bruce Banner. He's a friend of Tony Stark's who I met while working undercover. And he's the one who accidentally turned himself into that monster."

"So... we're on his side?"

"We are," she replied. "See... I'm not sure how much you know, but..." She turned to Bruce, silently urging him to listen to her as well. "He's placed Tony Stark in charge of killing the monster. And he seems to think that it's a threat to SHIELD. Neither of them have any idea that it's you, Bruce. And we have to stop them."

Bruce felt the eyes on him. He knew they expected him to react, to be outraged, upset, something. But he felt nothing. Actually, he almost expected something like this to happen. He wasn't sure whether he cared, or whether he even wanted to rekindle his friendship with Tony. He just knew that this point in his life didn't seem anymore exciting than any other.

"Bruce... did you hear me?"

Bruce refocused at the sound of Natasha's voice, "Oh... yeah, I heard you."

"Doesn't any of this bother you?" She tried to reassure him.

"Uh... I don't know. A little, I guess," Bruce wasn't sure what to say.

Natasha glanced at Clint, and he immediately noticed the concern in her expression. Suddenly, it clicked. He realized that Bruce really wasn't a monster. In actuality, he was the complete opposite. And luck really wasn't on his side. Natasha wasn't doing this for recognition, not even in rebellion. She was doing this because she felt compelled, by her own accord, to help someone who needed it. This was a side of Natasha that Clint rarely got to see, something he truly loved about her. And if this Bruce guy was someone who was able to bring that out, then he was worth the time Clint would put into the mission. So he was going to start right away.

"Look, Bruce," he finally managed to speak up. "I get that you haven't been the luckiest lately. And I get that you don't feel motivated to work against Stark and Fury because of all the history that's there. But if you're not motivated for yourself, get motivated for everyone else. This battle could kill so many people. And if Fury's successful, not only will you die, but Stark's gonna live with the guilt and Fury's gonna use tons of other people just like you, and fuck their lives up like he fucked yours up. It's hard, but you need to get pumped, and do this for the city."

"Uh..." Bruce had no idea how to respond. Out of nowhere, this stranger appeared and dragged him out of the self-pity he had no idea he'd been wallowing. Clint was right, there were other people out there besides himself. Those people needed help. And maybe, if Bruce could give it to them, he wouldn't be such a failure. He could be a hero.

And the idea of sharing that with Tony suddenly sounded so tempting.

"Okay. I'll help you."

* * *

**I actually got the idea to add Clint into the story from a reviewer. It actually made things a lot easier. :) Sorry about the shortness of this chapter. The next two will be longer. Please read, review, and follow, and I promise I'll try my best to be better with the updates. :)**


	6. Now or Never

**Very early update. Hurricanes give you lots of time to write. :)**

* * *

"Nice place," Bruce muttered with a hint of sarcasm. In an effort to ensure their conspiracies wouldn't be overheard, Clint led him and Natasha to the most desolate place he could think of— a parking garage that closed down four years prior, after exposure from a mission Clint was involved in. And desolate was one of the better words Bruce could use to describe it.

"Not the point, big guy," Clint couldn't hide his amusement at the comment, but this was a serious case. He'd never worked outside Fury's direction as Natasha had, and he had to take extra caution, because any faltering could draw SHIELD's attention to them.

"Right, right. I'm sorry."

"Okay, here's the deal," Natasha was eager to get started. "I'm figuring that it's gonna be impossible to reason with Fury. So, we're gonna have to try and reason with Tony."

"I'm not sure how much easier that's gonna be," Bruce pointed out.

Clint shot Bruce a glare, one that Bruce thought was going to be followed with more reprimanding. He braced himself at the sound of Clint's voice, "Wait... you know Tony better than either of us, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," Bruce confirmed. He knew exactly where Clint was going with the question, and the thought twisted his stomach into knots. '_I have to do whatever it takes, though,'_ he attempted to reassure himself, _'I need to do something right.'_

"You have to be the one to reason with Tony," Clint validated Bruce's suspicion. Bruce was silent.

"Bruce," Natasha couldn't bear staying silent herself for any longer, "I know how much has happened since you've last seen Tony. I've seen both sides of it, to some extent. It's not gonna be easy. Neither of us said that. But it has to be done."

Bruce nodded, "I know. I just... I'm afraid of how he's gonna react."

"I get that," Natasha assured him, "But you have to keep reminding yourself that this isn't about just you anymore. I think you can do this. But even if you don't think so, you really need to."

Bruce stared at his feet. She was right, about everything. And he understood every single word that she said. But he was afraid to face them.

"Do you hear me, Bruce?"

"Yeah," Bruce spoke in a low voice, "I hear you."

Natasha silently urged him to say more.

"I'll talk to him. I promise."

* * *

Bruce placed his head in his hands. It had been a solid forty-five minutes since Natasha said Tony would meet him, and he wasn't sure if he could handle the anxiety any longer. The suspense was eating him alive. He tried to let his mind wander, to alleviate that anxiety, but it always wandered to the same two questions:_ 'What if he doesn't come?'_ or, perhaps even worse,_ 'What's gonna happen when he does?'_

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Instantly assuming the worst from the city, he shoved it away and stumbled to head in the opposite direction.

"Whoa, whoa, Banner! Take it easy!" A familiar voice caused him to stop in his tracks.

"Tony?"

"The one and only," he joked.

At the sight of that smug grin, all of Bruce's anxiety about this encounter melted away. The two months apart meant almost nothing now that he was looking his best friend in the eye.

Almost nothing. He had a job to do; he couldn't forget that.

"I hear you've been successful, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, I've been doing a lot," Tony's eyes lit up at the question, "Those arc reactors are gonna get me into some real money soon. And tomorrow, I'm getting surgery. They're gonna put one in me to hold that tumor back. They're gonna save my life, like they said they would."

"Tony..." Bruce had no idea what to say. His best friend, one of the only people he's ever formed a meaningful bond with, was telling him that his life would be saved. But it didn't have the impact it was supposed to. He wanted to be so overwhelmed with happiness that he'd break down in tears, but it wasn't happening. "I... I can't believe it, man."

"Neither can I. And Bruce, I... now that I know that I'm gonna be real successful, and that I'm gonna live to see it all happen... I wanna apologize for not letting you know what's been going on. It's been pretty hard to keep up, but I haven't forgotten about any of the promises I made you."

"You don't have to worry about it... do what you've gotta do, don't worry about me," Bruce didn't want the sympathy.

Tony didn't like the way Bruce was acting. He wasn't one to be so dismissive of himself, even on his worst days. He knew something was going on, and he prayed it wasn't something he did.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Bruce felt himself shaking his head. _'God, Banner, what are you doing?'_

"What happened? Is there anything I can do?"

Bruce exhaled in frustration. He knew Tony was sincerely concerned about him. But he was terrified to tell him about the monster._ 'Take it easy, Bruce. You don't have to tell him now. Now's not the time.'_

"It's nothing, I just... I've been a little depressed, is all."

"Oh," Tony's inflection mixed relief with a lingering concern. "Well, you know what cheers me up? A night out. We can get a couple drinks at that bar you like, on me. It's a little ways down the road."

Bruce couldn't help but smile at the offer. He hadn't had much fun in a while, and Stark was the king in that department. Perhaps he could put off the undercover aspect of this for a little while. It wasn't like he didn't deserve it.

They talked and laughed as they walked the ten blocks to the bar. They more often reminisced about older times than caught up— something that Tony learned was still sensitive to Bruce after bringing up the super soldier serum. Soon enough, they were at the doors to the bar. Bruce motioned for Tony to follow him in, eager to get started with his first good night in a while.

Unfortunately, this was where it ended.

They entered to silence. The room was unmoving— men were frozen around the television holding hats to their hearts. Bruce and Tony shot each other puzzled looks, and then reluctantly made their way towards the television.

"You didn't hear?" A short, stocky man, who Bruce recognized, turned and asked the two. Bruce shook his head.

"It's about Steve, he..." The man stopped to hold back tears. A closer look indicated to Bruce that he'd been crying for a while. "He... he isn't coming home... not alive."

Bruce froze. Steve... was dead? It couldn't be true. Not now.

"You okay, Bruce?" Tony asked. No answer.

"He was a victim... he didn't deserve to go like he did," The man spoke to himself.

"Let's get out of here," Tony led Bruce out of the bar. He couldn't believe how much this death was affecting not only him, but everyone. And the fact that he died so unexpectedly, so tragically, it made it that much worse.

"I'm sorry about this," Bruce forced himself to speak through the tears he was trying to restrain.

"No, no... you shouldn't blame yourself. Besides... I think it's time we call it a night."

"Okay... but, before you go-"

"Wait, me first."

"Um... okay," Bruce gave in.

"This whole death thing with Steve... it's really getting me thinking. The fact that his death was so tragic and sudden makes it that much worse. And... I don't know if you heard about that monster, but do you know how many more of those types of deaths are at risk because of it? I'm in charge of stopping it. I'm doing something good, Bruce. And now, I'm gonna do it in Steve's name, and... I'm gonna do it in yours. This is for you two, because I know how much it meant to you to keep everyone safe. And I don't ever, ever wanna forget the people who got me where I am. So... I guess I just wanted to tell you that in case we don't see each other for another two months."

Bruce was once again speechless. Tony was genuinely oblivious to the fact that he turned into that monster. And now he had to go ahead and make him feel guilty about it. This was too much for him, way too much for him to handle. He wasn't sure of the right thing to say anymore. He had no idea what to do. That little structure he had planned out in his head, everything he was going to say and do and explain to Tony- it was completely skewed. And in his head, he wanted to spill everything. Tony was supposed to know everything, and he urged it to come out right then.

"Good luck," was the most he could muster.

Tony gave him a friendly parting shove to the shoulder, and he was on his way. And suddenly, it hit Bruce. He fucked up, big time. "Wait..." he whispered, watching Tony run down the street to hail a cab. His body shook, but his feet remained frozen. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't go back to Natasha and Clint. Tony was after him. Steve was gone.

Perhaps fighting was his only choice.


	7. Our Great Mistakes

**Sorry again for the late update. This looks like it will be the second-to-last chapter. Thank you, everyone, for your continued support for me and my first real attempt at a solid fic. I've also recently made an account at AO3 (hearshotkid) where this fic is also posted. Give me some love there, too! :) Enjoy the new chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Our Great Mistakes**

"Why can't time move fucking faster?" Bruce groaned as he stared at his watch. It was only five in the morning, and he'd barely gotten a wink of sleep. Steve's death really bent him out of shape, and even days after hearing of it, he was losing sleep over it. He wished he had someone to talk to about it, somewhere to go, but he didn't. The closest thing he had to a safe place was the old parking garage Clint had led him to earlier. So that was where he spent his last four lonely nights. And, as Bruce knew all too well, lonely nights meant unbearable amounts of time spent thinking. And he had a lot to think about.

Fighting was his only choice, it seemed, but he couldn't do it. Bruce couldn't let himself bring the monster out and make anyone else's life worse— including his own. But he couldn't do it alone. He knew Natasha and Clint were going to somehow figure out that he didn't reveal his identity to Tony. And he knew that there was no easy way to be able to find contact with Tony again, especially with his recent surgery. So where the hell was he supposed to turn?

Steve suddenly took over his mind.

Bruce had never quite lost that respect he had for Steve, he'd realized. And even though he was gone, Bruce had to make it up to him. He remembered what Steve wanted him to do all those months ago, right before everything went wrong. If he had only taken his advice then, he wouldn't be in this situation. So he would take that advice now.

He would show up to fight, yes. But he would talk to Tony. He had to.

* * *

Tony couldn't stop staring at his chest. He had no idea the arc reactor would be exposed. Even three days later, he couldn't completely adjust to seeing a circle of light where his skin used to be; that was harder for him to deal with that than the pain and the weakness he'd also been enduring as a result of the surgery.

It had made headlines, the surgery. He was an international phenomenon, a critically acclaimed genius. But he didn't feel like one. He felt like the regular, twenty-year-old homeless kid he'd always been. Except his head was spinning and he had a glowing vessel of chemical energy sticking out of his chest. Which was why he was terrified of fighting the monster.

The fame and recognition had gotten to his head already, and meeting with Bruce that night only solidified that. Bruce was the first "average" person Tony had seen in two months, and it hit him hard to see once again how hard his life could be- how hard it once was for him. He had a hard time building a hundred-thousand-dollar metal suit and drowning in fame and fortune for fighting a monster while his best friend, his only true friend, wandered the streets, depressed and alone with nowhere to go and no way to survive.

He had to talk to someone about this. Perhaps he could get out of it somehow.

Tony dialed the phone on the desk next to him, "Director? I have a question for you."

"Mr. Stark, what can I do for you?"

"I, uh..." He couldn't tell Fury he was afraid. He had to think of another excuse, "I still feel pretty weak from the surgery. Is there any way we can postpone this monster fight thing? Or, like, just wait until it actually comes back instead of provoking it?"

"Don't pull bullshit with me, Stark."

Of course. He knew better than to try lying to Fury. "Look, I just don't feel comfortable doing this. My excuse was bullshit, yeah, but my proposals still stand true. Why try to provoke a monster if it isn't a threat anymore?"

"Because it destroyed a sizable part of the city. And if the man were to become this monster again, and we pursued him after, he would already cause a tremendous amount if damage. I'd rather cut corners by provoking him and then killing the monster as quickly and efficiently as possible."

"Wait... if I'm killing the monster, I'm killing the man, too, aren't I?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm a murderer. I can't murder someone, Fury. I can't let something like that be glorified while people, very good people who I know very well, don't get any credit for any of the good things they do. I'm not letting this job screw with my morals. Sorry, Fury, but the bet's off. I can't do this."

"Too late, Tony. You built the weapon. You agreed to this. You made the commitment, and there's no getting out of that. But, if it'll make you feel better about it, I'll go with you and I'll actually kill him. As long as you weaken him."

Tony couldn't stop his mouth from moving, "Fine. That's a deal."

"Good. I'll send out an announcement asking the public to clear the streets at six tonight. I'll get him to come. All you have to do is wait outside the tower with your suit."

Tony couldn't respond.

"See you at six, Mr. Stark."

* * *

The sun was starting to set, Bruce had noticed._ 'Good,' _he thought to himself. That meant the day was almost over. Perhaps he could finally try to get some sleep.

Before he could get off the sidewalk bench and retrace his path back "home," he noticed that suddenly, every single door within his line of vision bustled with crowds of people leaving. And not in the usual crowded city sort of way. No, boatloads of people were exiting buildings, and absolutely none were entering. It was enough to stir suspicion in a usually apathetic Bruce.

"Sir," he heard a woman behind him and turned around, "Yes, you. Do you have somewhere to go?"

"Why?" Bruce was genuinely puzzled as to why this stranger would go out of her way to talk to him.

"Didn't you hear? An announcement was sent out to clear the streets by six. Apparently that monster from last week is coming back. If you don't have somewhere to go, I'll open my home to you."

Bruce held back a sigh. He had no idea this showdown was supposed to happen so soon. He hadn't even rehearsed what he was going to say yet. But he had to go. He had to reveal the truth to Tony. There wasn't a choice. It wasn't about him anymore, and he had to suck it up.

"No, no, I have somewhere I can go."

"Well, I live just a block down if you change your mind," the woman spoke as she hurried towards her home.

Bruce looked up at the city's skyline, the headquarters standing only slightly higher than its surrounding structures. It wasn't too far away. He could determine where it was and make his way there. And even if he couldn't, he had no choice.

As he walked, he let his mind wander. Immediately, Tony's possible reactions bombarded his brain. Would he be upset? Angry? Would he be affected at all? Bruce could feel his heart in his throat; he was about ready to vomit. This was a night that could change things for good. This was a night that could render him truly alone in the world. This could be the last night of his life... even if he survives the battle. In the panicked blur of his anticipation, he suddenly felt as if he couldn't endure much more of this- the waiting, the hiding, the sheer thought of even existing in a world which surrounded him with nothing but failed experiments, failed relationships, nothing but failure. Would life even be worth living when the sun rises the next morning? He had no way of knowing at that moment.

But he would soon find out.

He moved his eyes from his worn shoes to the unusual spectacle in front of him. Under the backdrop of a grand entrance way adorned with gold and bright lights, Bruce saw two familiar men— one in an iron suit, and the one who stole the former away from him. One he could forgive, and one he couldn't. He watched as their eyes widened at the unexpected arrival of a third man- a friend to one, and a stranger to the other.

"Bruce," Tony headed for his friend, concern evident in his expression. "What the hell are you doing here? That monster can kill you!"

"Don't you get it, Tony? I am the monster."


	8. We Fall Together

**This is it- the last chapter! Thank you everyone who's followed this story all the way to its finish. I appreciate your support. Also, I have some ideas for a short companion fic with some more closure for Natasha and Clint and their role in the story. So this isn't over yet! Thank you again and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8: We Fall Together**

Tony stared at Bruce. No matter how he looked at his friend, that's just what he was— his friend. He wasn't a monster. He couldn't be a monster. How could he possibly be a monster?

"Bruce, I... how?"

He knew better than to not expect this question, but that didn't mean that Bruce knew how to answer it. He didn't want to make Tony feel more terrible than he already had. He didn't want Tony to think any of this was his fault, because even though Bruce blamed him for most of it, it really wasn't the truth. Bruce was the one who killed himself. _He_ was the monster. _He_ was the threat to society. Tony had no control over any of that, and Bruce had to make sure Tony understood that before he said anything.

He swallowed before he spoke, "Before I say anything, just... make sure you know that everything I did up to this point was in no way your fault. Don't blame yourself for any of it."

Tony felt his heart race in fearful anticipation of what was to come. Tentatively, he nodded.

"Okay, I..." Bruce hesitated, looking away from his friend. He couldn't bear to watch Tony's expression change as he explained what had happened.

"Go on," he heard Tony urge him with an unfamiliar hesitance. Bruce shuddered at how unfitting caution and fear were for Tony.

Bruce forced himself to get it over with, "Do you remember the weapon I'd made for the military? The one I'd made with Steve in mind?"

"Yes."

"Well, I... I had tested the serum again. It was another failure. So I decided to meet up with Steve, and... it didn't end well. At all. So at that point, it was just the culmination of everything shitty about my life, so I was really done with it. And so... I tried to end it, with the weapon."

They were both silent for a moment. Bruce looked up at a frozen Tony from underneath his brow. He looked away not a second later, afraid of Tony's potential reaction.

Bruce laughed softly to himself, "I'm sure you're wondering what all that has to do with the monster... Thing is, the bomb was laced with gamma radiation. I mean, that's why I used it on myself. But, in a strange turn of events, the serum actually worked. So... that made for a pretty deadly combination... as you well know."

Tony couldn't respond. Not at first. Not after this bomb had been dropped on him. Everything he'd just heard... he was sure it was a dream, or some sick set-up, or some sort of scenario in which none of it was real. Because it couldn't be real. It just couldn't.

But then he started to think about it. He could very well decipher a lie from the truth, especially from Bruce. And he more he thought about it, the more he realized that this bomb wasn't dropped on him. For him, it had been ticking towards its inevitable detonation since he'd met with Bruce that day. He knew that on that day, when Bruce had told him he'd been a little depressed, it meant so much more than he was letting on. He knew something was terribly wrong. And just in the way that he'd explained himself right then, how he'd laughed and let himself smile a bit, Tony knew that Bruce wasn't lying. He was telling the truth. He was the mons— no.

Bruce had a monster living inside of him.

He interrupted Tony's thoughts, "I'm sorry. I get that it's a lot to take, but... I mean, it's the answer to your question, so—" Bruce suddenly had a thought. A strange thought, a thought that he knew Tony wouldn't want to hear. But it had to be brought up. After all, it was a question that was going to have to be answered eventually.

He swallowed before going on, "Just so you know, I... I know your job is to kill the monster. I know that's why we're here. So... if SHIELD thinks I'm a threat, and if they think I need to be killed... I have no problem with that."

Tony turned to Nick, then back to Bruce. Was Bruce telling him to kill him? Or making him choose? He didn't know which to hope for. He couldn't really hope for either. All the hope he had was invested in the delusion that this was all a dream and that he was going to wake up and get ready to fight the real monster. He couldn't bear to think about killing his best friend. He still couldn't even grasp the fact that this was real.

"I don't think I can do that," Tony spoke in a cracked whisper.

"We're going to have to," A surprisingly silent Director finally spoke up.

Tony cursed in his head. Another delusion that had been tempting him was that Fury would understand. He almost laughed at the fact that he'd even considered that as a possibility. And yet, he still tried to resist him, "You can't make me do this. This guy's like my brother."

"Look at it this way, Tony. Would you kill the monster? Is the monster your brother, or just the man?"

Tony knew that either way, he was going to regret his response. "I don't know... I haven't met the monster yet."

"Then allow me to introduce him to you," Nick pulled out a pistol and shot in Bruce's direction. He managed to stumble away from the bullet in the nick of time, but the shock of that sudden action... he didn't know quite how to translate it into words, but he felt as if he had handed control of his mind and his body to someone else, and that that someone had no idea how to work them. He felt himself fall to the ground, and that's when a wave of indescribable pain hit him. He might as well have been hit with the bullet. He knew subconsciously that there were so many things he could do to control such devastating pain, but the dominant part of his mind was filled with anger, and the part that he knew was his own was panicking, and so all he could do was clench his fists, clench his teeth, clench everything until the pain went away.

"Fury, what the fuck are you doing?" Tony shouted through the heat of rage-filled tears.

"Showing you the threat that you've been dismissing as nothing! You have no time for personal relationships, not anymore! I thought you had known that, but you've proven me wrong!"

"Personal relationships or not, you have no right to manipulate people like you do! You fucked Steve over. You fucked Bucky over. You fucked me over. But I finally figured out your little game. And I refuse to let you fuck Bruce over!" He raised his arm, facing a glowing iron palm towards the Director.

"Put the weapon down."

"You think you can tell me what to do? That's funny. No, really, it's fucking hilarious."

"Don't fuck around with me, Stark."

"What're you gonna do? Shoot me? You can't shoot an iron suit, big guy."

"I have reinforcements on standby."

"I can take 'em."

Fury pointed his gun at Stark.

"I thought we established this. Age catching up with you, big guy?"

"One more snide remark and I turn the gun," Fury turned his head toward Bruce, and Tony followed his gaze. He was still resisting. It amazed Tony, how strong Bruce was. As much as he claimed to want to leave this world, he wasn't going down without a fight. And in that moment, Tony realized that's exactly what he needed to do. No more hiding behind stupid comments. No more begging people to change their minds for his sake. If he wanted this to go his way, he had to do something about it. He had to take action.

He fired his repulsor.

The blast sent Fury off his feet for a time, and he landed with a thud on the concrete. Before he could even stand himself up, Tony appeared, looming over him. The glow of the repulsor illuminated his complexion, signaling to him that Tony was playing to kill. He pointed his gun toward Bruce, his arm beginning to tremble.

"You try that one more time, I kill him."

"You'll be dead before you can."

Tony smirked. He had Fury right where he wanted him. He knew that no matter what Fury did, there would be a consequence that would hurt his reputation, or him. And those were two things that Fury wasn't willing to sacrifice.

"You win, Stark," Fury managed to push the words out, still a bit weary from the blow of the repulsor. Stark's grin widened with the validation of his victory from Fury himself.

"Just one last thing," Tony grabbed Fury by the collar. He watched his expression widen with fear of his impending fate. Tony held a balled fist behind his head, "Stay the fuck away from Bruce," and he pummeled a literal iron fist into the jaw of the Director. He let the unconscious director fall to the cement and took a moment to revel in his victory.

Then, he had more important things to attend to.

"Bruce, bud!" Tony called to his friend as he rushed towards him. Bruce had absolutely no way to respond to him, but Tony knew he was listening. Some part of him was listening.

He kneeled down to Bruce's level, placing a hand on his back. "Bruce, it's okay. Fury's done with. I took care of him."

Bruce's staggered breaths pulsed through Bruce's back into Tony, and it shocked him every time. He wasn't sure whether Bruce could live through something like this. Would he have to turn into the monster? Tony presumed that he'd had to do this before if he was so good at it. But after everything that had happened... nothing was concrete.

All Tony knew for sure was that he had Bruce for this moment, and that if he were to die, it wasn't going to be by Fury's standards.

And it was going to be by the side of someone who never stopped caring about him. Because they were friends. And if they were going to lose everything, they were going to lose it together.


End file.
